Lesson Plans
On the following pages you will find
four lesson plans written by teachers
using the objects in this guide for inspiration. Each lesson was implemented
in the classroom, and examples
of student work are included.
lesson plan
1
How to Haiku: Poetry Reflecting
the Feelings in Art
B A S E D O N “ WAV E S AT M AT S U S H I M A” B Y S OTAT S U
CO N T R I B U T E D B Y L I S A O ’ N E I L L A N D TO N I CO N K L I N ,
B A N C R O F T E L E M E N TA RY S C H O O L , WA S H I N G TO N , D.C .
subjects:
art/language arts
Goal
grade level:
elementary school
To write a haiku inspired by the brilliant painting “Waves of Matsushima”
by Sotatsu.
time needed:
three to four fortyminute class periods
Objectives
•
•
•
•
•
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T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
Students will identify the elements of haiku.
Students will identify the subjects in examples of haiku they read.
Students will identify and describe the objects in the landscape painting
“Waves at Matsushima.”
Students will explain the feelings that the elements in the painting evoke.
Students will write a haiku based on the painting.
1
Vocabulary
Adjectives
descriptive words that create clear pictures and feelings about a subject
Contemplative a state of deep thought
Contrast
Elements
Feelings
Haiku
Landscape art
two or more things that differ noticeably from one another in one or
more ways
meaningful parts of a whole
emotions that include happiness, sadness, loneliness, joy, fear, wonder,
amazement, surprise, courage, etc.
One of the shortest poetry forms, originating in Japan, which focuses on
nature, color, seasons, and contrasts. Haiku expresses a feeling and often
contains a surprise.
a painting or drawing that depicts a scene in nature
Metaphor
a phrase that compares two things to show similarities (for example, “you
are a shining star”)
Syllable
The smallest segment of a word or sentence that can be clapped out. The
unit of pronunciation that is organized around a vowel; it may or may not
have consonants before or after the vowel.
Verbs
words that describe actions
LESSON PLAN ONE
75
1
Day One
Motivation and Discussion
Discuss with students what they know about poetry. Then, introduce several haiku poems and,
through creative discovery and “think aloud” techniques, solicit as many of the elements of the
form as possible from children (nature, three lines, feelings, metaphor, contrast).
Students will then read the following paragraph about haiku.
Haiku is perhaps the shortest poetry form in the world. This tiny poem can say important
things about how we feel about the world around us. Haiku was invented hundreds of
years ago in Japan. It was used to express feelings about nature, animals, and the seasons
at a particular time and place and to share those feelings with others. It is a contemplative
or thoughtful form of poetry that focuses on nature, color, seasons, contrasts, and surprises. The first line contains five syllables; the second line contains seven syllables; and
the third line contains five syllables. So, to write a haiku means to capture how you feel
at a certain moment in time, even if you are writing it down sometime later.
After reading the paragraph, ask students to comment on the elements they had already
mentioned in the poetry and to identify new ones. This will provide an opportunity for the
teacher to do a hand-clapping activity that breaks words into their syllables. Students should
then look at each of the haiku they read, checking to see if each line has the appropriate
number of syllables and discussing the words (verbs, adjectives, etc.) that convey feelings to
the reader. Students can work in small groups, concentrating on one poem and then sharing
their conclusions with the whole group.
Activity
m at e r i a l s
76
•
Several large pictures of “Waves at Matsushima,” downloaded from the Freer and Sackler
website (www.asia.si.edu)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pencils
Chart paper
Multiple copies of the thesaurus and dictionary
Watercolor sets with brushes
Gold pens
Gold glitter
Large white drawing paper
T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
1
Day Two
Review the elements of haiku using the self-assessment rubric. (See “assessment and
evaluation.”)
1.
2 . Tell students that they are going to write a haiku based on a beautiful painting by Sotatsu,
a Japanese artist who created two folding screens of the landscape at Matsushima (Pine
Islands). (See “Waves at Matsushima,” page 64.) Show students how the panels fold up,
using the copies.
Through “creative visualization,” students close their eyes and imagine themselves alone
somewhere “in” the picture. Tell them to think about what they see, hear, touch, and feel.
3.
Next, in whole group or small groups, have students make lists of colors, adjectives, verbs,
nouns, and feelings that came to mind as they imagined themselves “in” the screen painting,
a copy of which they have in front of them.
4.
Discuss the difference between regular words and exciting, thought-provoking ones;
model the use of a thesaurus and/or dictionary to find such words.
5.
Look throughout the picture and see if children can identify elements that look familiar
to them.
6.
Make a list of all their ideas on a chart at the front of the room, and encourage students to
think about a feeling they could express in a haiku, using some of the words from this chart.
7.
Students write their haiku and check it against the rubric. Peer and teacher conferencing
works well to clap syllables and brainstorm on word use.
8.
Day Three
1.
Students will draw a picture on a large piece of white paper, depicting that part of the
painting their poem most speaks to.
2.
After drawing the outline of the picture, students will proceed to paint it with watercolors.
3.
After the paint dries, students will choose where to add the gold “threads” with their gold
pens and glitter.
4.
Finally, students choose either to write their haiku on their painting or copy it neatly on
writing paper.
LESSON PLAN ONE
77
1
Assessment and Evaluation
The following rubric can be used for students to self-assess and also for the teacher to confirm that each haiku meets the criteria.
Haiku Rubric
Grade yourself! Read each question. If you are able to answer yes to the question, give yourself one point. An excellent haiku will have a total of six points.
Does my haiku have three lines?
_________________
Does my first line have five syllables?
_________________
Does my second line have seven syllables?
_________________
Does my third line have five syllables?
_________________
Does my haiku express how I feel at a specific moment in time? _________________
Does my haiku focus on one of the following?
_________________
Circle one or two elements that your haiku contains:
NATURE
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T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
COLOR
SEASON
SURPRISE
t o ta l p o i n t s
_________________
t e a c h e r ’s s i g n at u r e
_________________
1
Student Work
Twirling and swirling
Waves sliding like spaghetti
Slipping off the rocks.
by Jocelyn
Wild water splashing
Washing colorful green rocks
I’m wet looking on.
by Shantell
A giant hammock
Resting place for splashing waves.
Wish I was there too.
by Enris
standing in the waves
tall rocks block the strong splashes
solid rounded shape.
by Angela
topsy turvey waves
water splashing on the rocks
topsy turvey waves
by Jonas
The dragon’s a beast
Waves destroying the mountain
It squashes the land.
by Abiy
LESSON PLAN ONE
79
lesson plan
2
Kenzan and Korin: Collaboration and
Integration in Ceramic Design
CO N T R I B U T E D B Y PAT R I C K T I M OT H Y C AU G H Y, C E N T E N N I A L L A N E E L E M E N TA RY
S C H O O L A N D H O WA R D CO U N T Y P U B L I C S C H O O L S
Goal
subjects:
art
grade level:
intermediate elementary
school; adaptable to
middle and high school
time needed:
three to four one hour
class sessions
To investigate for inspiration a ceramic exemplar produced in collaboration by artist brothers, Ogata Kenzan and Ogata Korin, and to gain an
understanding of the merging of two media (in this case, ceramics and
painting) to produce a unique object.
Objectives
•
Students will explore the interrelated arts of pottery, painting, and literature in the cultural life of Edo-period Japan.
•
Students will view and respond to work by both Kenzan and Korin and
learn how to identify characteristics of their styles.
•
Students will produce an original hand-built, decorated, and glazed
ceramic plate using elements of design evident in the collaborative work
of Kenzan and Korin.
Vocabulary
Ceramic ware clay products, often used in the preparation, storage, and serving of foods
Characteristic the properties unique to a style or expression
Collaboration individuals or groups working together to accomplish a purpose
Design
Edo period
80
a visual plan for an artwork
Japan of the period between 1615–1868 that was characterized by a rise of
the merchant class, growth of urban areas, and blossoming of the arts.
Glaze
the outer surface, often glasslike, of a ceramic piece
Style
a unique manner of expression
T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
2
Motivation and Discussion
Show students the image of the Kenzan/Korin tray “Square dish with design of ‘Eight
Bridges.’” Ask students to critique the tray based on the process below developed by
Edmund Feldman, author and arts educator:
1. describe
Students should look at the object carefully and describe it.
2 . a n a ly z e
Students should take their initial descriptions and, based on their observations, analyze how
the work is composed. Ask students to look for patterns and connections.
3. interpret
Using their analysis, students should explore why they think the artist made the choices
he/she did in this particular work.
(In this exercise, there will be no “Evaluation,” as is customary in a Feldman critique.)
Some prompting clues for the students may also include the questions:
• Where am I?
• When am I there?
• What is around me?
Explain the tradition in Japanese art of drawing inspiration from nature, literature, fashion—
either separately or, sometimes, in combination. In the instance of the Kenzan/Korin tray, a
passage from a work of literature familiar to many literate people provided the inspiration for
the design. Give students information on the literary source for the visual image on the tray.
(See “Square dish with design of ‘Eight Bridges,’” page 25.)
Describe the way Kenzan and Korin collaborated to produce ceramic work that represented
an innovation for the Edo period. Ask students to consider the challenges and advantages of
such a collaboration. Students should begin to think about ways that they would combine
painting and ceramics in the manner of Kenzan and Korin (albeit as one artist).
LESSON PLAN TWO
81
2
Activity
m at e r i a l s
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•
•
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Low fire white stoneware
Rolling pins
A variety of grocery store Styrofoam trays
Paper towels
Black underglaze slips or stains
Bamboo brushes
Ink
White paper
Clay tools and cleaning supplies
Large plastic Ziploc bags
Large paper clips
1 . Direct students to roll an orange-size ball of
clay and to form it into a slab. This may be
rolled out, flung, and stretched to a thickness of ¼ to ½ inch.
2 . Have students press their slabs into foam plates or trays. A barrier between the clay and
the tray, such as a paper towel, may be useful.
3 . Clay around the plate edge should be trimmed with an extended paper clip. If
necessary,
students may store this work in a sealed plastic bag with a label until the next class period.
4 . The teacher will offer students a guided practice with bamboo brushes, ink, and paper in
preparation for their ceramic decoration. Images of seasonal flowers should be presented
for inspiration, and students should be asked to keep in mind the stylistic model of the
Korin decoration.
5 . Using underglaze stains, students will decorate their plates. Review aspects of
the
Kenzan/Korin style.
After bisque firing, a coat of clear matte glaze will seal the work for use at home and give
it protective permanence.
6.
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T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
2
Assessment and Evaluation
1. class discussion summary
Use a visual web designating three key areas of reflection
as a review of the lesson.
•
•
•
Culture
Clay
Collaboration
Invite students to comment on what they learned about these aspects of the lesson.
2 . a r t i st stat e m e n t s
From the visual web above, students may write captions for their
artwork.
Reflecting again on the collective, student response web, students
will write letters detailing their clay experience. The letter may be addressed to one of the
Kenzan ceramics craftsmen, inquiring about their training and career. Or it may be
addressed to a classmate or relative, describing the sequence of production in completing
the goal.
3 . i m a g i n at i v e l e t t e r
Possible Extension
Students can compose a haiku (a three-line, seventeen-syllable poem) about their ceramic
piece to accompany the display of their painted plate and to emulate the Edo-period practice of visual and literary interplay.
LESSON PLAN TWO
83
2
Student Artwork Samples
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T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
lesson plan
3
Capturing a Moment: Art and Haiku
CO N T R I B U T E D B Y L AU R A P H I N I Z Y, P Y L E M I D D L E S C H O O L , B E T H E S DA , M A RY L A N D
subjects:
art/language arts/
social studies
grade level:
middle school to
early high school
time needed:
Two ninety-minute class
periods or three to four
forty-minute class periods. It would be best
to start this when the
season is at its height,
for example in the fall,
when leaves are turning,
or in the spring, when
flowers are blooming.
Goal
To instill an appreciation for the way natural imagery and sensory information are used in the composition of a haiku poem.
Objectives
•
Students will observe nature to collect sensory data in order to compose
a haiku.
•
Students will learn to identify the seasons represented in Japanese art
objects.
•
Students will compose their own haiku based on moments captured in
Japanese art objects.
Motivation and Discussion
Day One
1 . Introduce the concept of haiku, a poem of seventeen syllables that captures one moment in nature. The poem consists of three lines and the syllabic structure is 5–7–5.
2 . Show students an excerpt of
a video on Japan to give them a sense of the
Japanese landscape and aesthetic. Suggestions:
•
“Journey to a Lost Japan,” Travels, video, 50 minutes, 1991
Thirteen/WNET. This is an episode of the PBS Travels series that follows
the ancient pilgrimage route between three sacred mountains in
Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.
•
“Beauty of Haiku Poetry,” Teachers Video Co. 18 mins.
3 . Read as a class some of
the haiku by poets of all different backgrounds
4 . Have the students identify and write all the senses that these poems
appeal to, for example, how snow feels cold to the touch.
5 . Have the students try to give the poems titles.
LESSON PLAN THREE
85
3
Go out and take a walk for at least twenty minutes. Try to notice
nature as you walk. Think of what you hear, see, smell, taste, and touch. When you get
home, jot down the most vivid sounds, images, smells, or textures you encountered.
H o m e w o r k Day O n e
Day 2
1 . Have students share with partners their homework: the most vivid sounds, images, smells,
or textures they encountered the day before.
2 . Explain to them that they will be analyzing Japanese art. Like poets, the artists capture a
moment in time by appealing to viewers’ senses and emotions. Explain that they will be
observing and identifying first, then analyzing and writing.
Activity
m at e r i a l s
•
•
•
Color images of objects listed below
Photo of irises in bloom.
Haiku worksheet (see page 90)
3 . Present the following images one at a time to the students. With each object, have the stu-
dents observe quietly for a minute or so before asking the following questions to spark
analysis and discussion. Have students record their observations on the haiku worksheet
(see page 90).
•
•
•
•
“Square dish with design of ‘Eight Bridges’” (see page 25)
“Boy and Mount Fuji” (see page 22)
“Square dish with design after poems of birds and flowers” (see page 49)
“Nabeshima ware dish with design of reeds and mist” (see page 46)
(An alternative that can be used in place of the Nabeshima ware dish is the “Inkstone box,”
page 62; adjust the observation questions as necessary.)
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T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
3
g u i d i n g q u e st i o n s :
o b j e c t 1 : “ s q ua r e d i s h w i t h d e s i g n o f ‘ e i g h t b r i d g e s ’” ( s e e pa g e 2 5 )
•
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What kind of object is it? (tray)
What material do you think it’s made of? (ceramic or clay with glaze to look shiny)
How big do you think it is? (about 1 inch deep and 8.5 inches square)
What objects do you see? (It may help to have them start in one corner and move around.
Grasses or reeds. Flowers. Large and small sticks. Writing in corner. Flowers around edges.)
•
What could the big sticks be used for? Hint: Look at their size compared with the flowers.
Have you ever been walking outside and wanted to walk on sticks? Why? (Sticks are in fact a
bridge.)
•
•
•
In what season would these flowers be in full bloom? (summer)
•
What emotions do you feel as you look at this? Write your answer down.
Tell students a version of the story behind the imagery (see object description, page 25)
Have students record on worksheet the senses that the artist appeals to in this object (for
example: wet, slimy log; squishy ground; perfume of flowers; bright purple and green)
o b j e c t 2 : “ b o y a n d m o u n t f u j i ” ( s e e pa g e 2 2 )
•
•
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What kind of object is it? (painting)
How big do you think this is? (about 50 inches by 27 inches—show with your hands)
What objects do you see? (mountain, snow, tree, boy, flute, bucket, water, ground, crater
at top of mountain, writing and seal in corner, cloud) They may also be able to identify
Mount Fuji, but if not, help them to understand that it is a volcano. Explain a bit about
Mount Fuji—that it is a symbol, a place where even today people make pilgrimages. One
of the most beautiful sights in Japan is supposed to be sunrise from the summit, so many
people hike all through the middle of the night to arrive there for sunrise.
•
Look at the water and the tree carefully. What season do you think this could be? (probably spring—no flowers anymore, but lots of water, maybe from snowmelt. If they think it is
winter, you will need to explain the elevation effect, where the higher up you go, the colder
the temperature is.)
•
•
What’s happening in the picture? (boy is playing flute while looking at nature)
What might have happened before or will happen after this? (boy should be gathering or
carrying something in his bucket)
LESSON PLAN THREE
87
3
•
How is the story of this scroll similar to the story implied in the first tray? (stopping and
looking at nature, nature as an inspiration)
•
Have students record on worksheet the senses that the artist appeals to in this object (for
example: roaring of water; melody of flute; texture of bark; vision of huge mountain; stickiness of air with rain cloud)
•
What emotions do you feel as you look at this? Write your answer down.
o b j e c t 3 : “ s q ua r e d i s h w i t h d e s i g n a f t e r p o e m s o f b i r d s a n d f l o w e r s ” ( s e e
pa g e 4 9 )
•
•
•
What kind of object is this? (tray)
•
•
What season do you think this is? (winter)
How big do you think it is? (about 1 inch deep and 6.5 inches square)
What objects do you see on the tray? (tree, snow, bird, ground, grasses, pond with snow
and ice, blue-and-white designs on rim)
What do you think the bumps on the tree could be? (They may guess clumps of snow,
but guide them to the idea of blossoms. These are plum blossoms.)
•
How is the story in this scroll similar to the other two objects? (The bird is paused in the
middle of this winter scene.)
•
Have students record on worksheet the senses that the artist appeals to in this object (for
example: cold, wet snow; crispy air; quiet of snow-muffled ground; quack of duck; variations of white and gray)
•
What emotions do you feel as you look at this? Write your answer down.
o b j e c t 4 : “ n a b e s h i m a wa r e d i s h w i t h d e s i g n o f r e e d s a n d m i st ” ( s e e pa g e 4 6 )
•
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What is this? (a ceramic plate)
•
•
•
Why do you think there are two colors? (maybe changing colors with the season or dying)
What do you see on it? (some kind of plant, two colors; some unpainted areas, some
painted blue areas)
What could the dark blue painted areas be? (sky, water, fog)
Why do you think the artist chose not to paint the whole plate? What could the
unpainted parts be? (water, fog) Do you think it would have been better to paint the whole
plate or leave us to fill in the gaps with our imagination?
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T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
3
•
•
What season do you think this is? (fall)
•
What emotions do you feel as you look at this? Write your answer down.
Have students record on student worksheet the senses that the artist appeals to in this
object (for example: spiky, wet, rotting blades of grass; damp fog or mist; squishy ground;
maybe frogs or water bugs in the water)
Have students choose one object. They should try to write as many 5–7–5 haiku as they
can on that one subject, trying to appeal to multiple senses. Allow fifteen to twenty minutes
for this activity. Slow down, perhaps using quiet music to calm the students.
4.
Have students pair up to peer edit. Have them circle sensory words and guess what emotion the author is trying to evoke.
5.
Choose one of your poems to polish. Check for 5–7–5 structure,
vivid sensory imagery, and emotion.
H o m e w o r k Day Tw o
Assessment and Evaluation
Have students share their poems with the class and describe the process of writing the haiku.
D I D ST U D E N T S :
•
•
•
•
•
complete the homework assignments?
participate in class discussions?
follow the format of the haiku (three lines of 5–7–5 syllables)?
use descriptive words and sensory images in their haiku?
clearly attempt to capture a moment in time?
Possible Extension
Invite student volunteers to share poems aloud. Post the poems on a bulletin board with
images of art. Have students repeat the haiku-writing exercise on the next day, focusing on
new objects.
LESSON PLAN THREE
89
3
name
_________________________________________________________________________
Student Worksheet—Haiku in Japanese Art
For each object, list the senses that the artist evokes:
90
object 1
____________________
object 3
Season
____________________
Season
____________________
Sight
____________________
Sight
____________________
Smell
____________________
Smell
____________________
Taste
____________________
Taste
____________________
Sound
____________________
Sound
____________________
Touch
____________________
Touch
____________________
Emotion
____________________
Emotion
____________________
object 2
____________________
object 4
____________________
Season
____________________
Season
____________________
Sight
____________________
Sight
____________________
Smell
____________________
Smell
____________________
Taste
____________________
Taste
____________________
Sound
____________________
Sound
____________________
Touch
____________________
Touch
____________________
Emotion
____________________
Emotion
____________________
T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
____________________
3
Student Work
Inspired by “Square dish with design after
poems of birds and flowers”
Just There
The bird sits, stairs, waits
With winter dripping from the trees
The spring slowly comes.
Inspired by “Boy and Mount Fuji”
Wind pierces my skin,
The distance below me grows,
Now I feel alone.
By Ellie
by Alyssa
Swish, the leaves rustle
the wind whips the silent smoke
water crashes down.
The Smells of Winter
Smelling hurts too much,
In the middle of winter,
With nothing but ice.
By Emily
Stream rushing below
Looming mountain sheds its smoke
by Laura
Music moves with wind.
By Melissa
Inspired by “Inkstone box”
A little light means
So much to a tree that has
Been in dark so long.
by Dimitry
Inspired by “Nabeshima ware dish with
design of reeds and mist”
I’m the orange fox
hiding in the thick luscious
underbrush waiting.
By Matthew
LESSON PLAN THREE
91
lesson plan
4
Here and There: Exploring Place in Art through
“Boy and Mount Fuji”
CO N T R I B U T E D B Y CO R I N N E M U L L E N A N D K E V I N S L I V K A , F R E D E R I C K D O U G L A S S H I G H S C H O O L
U P P E R M A R L B O R O, M A RY L A N D
subjects:
art/social studies
grade level:
high school; adaptable
to elementary and
middle school
time needed:
three to four fortyminute class periods
Goal
To understand the significance of Japan’s Mount Fuji, relate it to other
similar places in the United States, and convey the importance of a cultural
landmark through visual art.
Objectives
•
Students will list landmarks—places of cultural significance—in Japan
and the United States.
•
Students will explore the painting “Boy and Mount Fuji” (see page 22)
by describing and analyzing its content and approach.
•
Students will choose a cultural landmark in Japan or the United States
and illustrate that place, using “Boy and Mount Fuji” as inspiration, in a
pencil or oil pastel drawing.
Motivation and Discussion
Ask students to write a short paragraph identifying and describing one
place in Washington, D.C., that represents the United States. Have them
include how they felt when they visited this place or saw images of it.
1.
Students should then share their paragraphs with a partner. Ask for volunteers to share their paragraphs with the entire class.
Begin a discussion of cultural landmarks in the United States and Japan
using the following questions:
2.
•
What is, in your opinion, a place that represents the United States to the
world? Why?
•
What is a place that might represent Washington, D.C., to the world?
Can you think of one place of cultural significance to the Japanese people
in Washington, D.C.?
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T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
4
Students may already know about cherry blossoms, but if not, share with them that cherry
blossom trees were given in 1912 by the people of Tokyo to the people of Washington, D.C.
These particular cherry blossom trees are seen as a symbol of friendship between the United
States and Japan. They are near the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. Every year there is a
Cherry Blossom Festival in late March through early April, because around that time the
trees bloom. Cherry blossoms are treasured in Japan because of their beauty and because
the flowers are in bloom for only a short time each year.
•
What do you think is one place that is very sacred in Japan or special to the Japanese people? Why? Where did you learn about this place?
Show students the image “Boy and Mount Fuji.” Ask them to take their time looking carefully at the image.
3.
Share with the class that the mountain (volcano) in the painting is Mount Fuji. Ask anyone to share what he or she knows about Mount Fuji.
4.
5.
Initiate a discussion with the following questions:
•
•
•
•
Can you describe this image in detail? What are the different elements of the painting?
•
Why do you think the boy is dwarfed by Mount Fuji?
Write down three thoughts you might have if you were the boy gazing at Mount Fuji.
Have you ever traveled to a famous place in the United States? How did you feel when you
were looking at the place from a distance?
What are some art materials you could use to express the feeling of the boy viewing
Mount Fuji? Why would you choose those materials?
LESSON PLAN FOUR
93
4
Activity
m at e r i a l s
•
•
•
•
Paper
Pencils
Oil pastels
Digital camera
Ask students to choose a place of cultural significance in the United States or Japan to
depict in a drawing.
1.
2.
Distribute paper, pencils, and oil pastels to students.
Have students sketch the picture, using oil pastels to fill in the picture if they wish. Some
students may choose to work solely in the pencil medium.
While students are working on their drawings, ask students to come to you one at a time
so that you can take a photograph of their back.
3.
When students have completed their drawings, have them cut their images out of the
photographs and paste them onto the drawing so that they appear to be gazing at the place
or structure they chose to depict.
4.
Assessment and Evaluation
1.
Did the student participate actively in the discussions?
2.
Did the student complete the project?
Have students write an artist–statement label for their drawings, to be mounted with display of their work. This statement should include a passage on their understanding of the
approach taken in “Boy and Mount Fuji,” an explanation of the choices they made in deciding which place to depict, and description of how they attempted to convey the importance
of the place in their drawing.
Possible Extension
For schools in the Washington, D.C., area, a field trip to the Tidal Basin would be useful in
early April. Have students sketch the Japanese cherry blossom trees with the Washington
Monument or Jefferson Memorial in the background. Later, the pictures can be filled in
with oil pastels. Students can also write haikus (three-line poems with syllabic structure of
5–7–5) to capture a momentary aspect of the scene.
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4
Student Work
LESSON PLAN FOUR
95
Resources
Traditional Musical and Performing Arts of Japan:
An Introduction and Resource Guide
B Y J O A N N A P E CO R E
Overview
Japan has an extensive and diverse music and performing arts heritage that has developed
in tandem with the country’s art and culture. These traditions have continuously thrived
hand-in-hand with the visual arts, literature, religion, social life, and rituals. Therefore,
many of the ideas and aesthetic principles that distinguish Japanese visual arts also resonate
across the world of Japanese sound and performance. The most striking themes shared by
these art forms are reflections on the transformations that constitute the physical world.
As a complement to this teacher’s guide, this introduction is general and limited in several
respects. First, it emphasizes Japan’s “traditional” music and performing arts, because the
objects featured in this guide predate Japan’s era of “modernization,” the Meiji period
(1869–1912). Second, also because of this focus on the Freer collection, the synopsis does not
include the traditions of the Ainu or of the Okinawan islands. Third, the overview highlights
musical and performance genres that relate closely to the themes of this teacher’s guide. Finally,
among these styles, it focuses on those that have related resources readily available to teachers.
In traditional Japan, especially from the sixth through the sixteenth centuries, the country’s international contact was dominated by exchange with China and Korea. Adopting
Buddhism and an imperial state had the most significant impact on the country’s arts and
culture. Numerous musical ensembles and instruments (such as gagaku, shakuhachi, koto,
biwa, and shamisen), which today are considered to be quintessentially Japanese, may all be
traced to the Asian mainland. Additionally, much of the literature that inspired the Japanese
performing arts has roots in China.
Some of the most well-known Japanese visual and performing arts and music (such as
Bunraku, Kabuki, and solo koto traditions) date to the Edo period (1615–1868). During this
era, Japan limited trade with the West. It was relatively secluded and prosperous. The merchant class gained influence, and the samurai lost their former role in society. As a result,
both of these groups became heavily involved in the arts, spurring unprecedented creativity
among musicians, actors, puppeteers, playwrights, painters, and potters.
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Over the centuries, Japan’s interactions with both the East and the West have stimulated
unique innovations in the country’s music and performing arts. At the same time, however,
a look at several of these traditions also reveals a consistent return to core religious (especially Shinto and Buddhist), literary (such as The Tale of Heike and The Tale of Genji), and
cultural (such as the transience of nature) concepts that communicate enduring popular
perceptions about the meaning of human experience.
J a pa n ’s Tr a d i t i o n a l M u s i c a n d P e r f o r m i n g A r t s
The principal inspirations for Japanese music and performing arts include the interdependent realms of religion, history, literature, and nature. Their connections—and relationships
to sound and performance—are apparent in this survey of traditions dating from the fifth
through eighteenth century.
To begin with, sound and performance occupy important positions in Shinto. They have
also been integral to the practice and expression of Buddhism. Additionally, the merging of
these religions in Japan has contributed to exceptionally strong continuities across the
country’s performing arts.
According to Shinto belief, divine spirits (kami) inhabit all aspects (especially nature)
of a single, beautiful universe. In order to invoke these spirits during purification rituals,
practitioners employ the voice, percussion, and stringed instruments. Music and performance also figure prominently within the Shinto story of creation that is recorded in the
Kojiki, an eighth-century historical account of Japan. The legend of the sun goddess,
Amaterasu, related earlier in this guide says that a dance lured her from a cave. Stories of
the origin of many of Japan’s musical instruments (for example koto and shamisen) indicate that they were also a part of the excitement that drew her outdoors.
From the eighth through the nineteenth century, several branches of Buddhism dominated national religious thought. Despite varied practical and philosophical emphases, all
of these share the goal of liberation from suffering through detachment from desire. A key
means of accomplishing this is self-discovery of the empty nature of existence through
meditation. Minimizing distractions and focusing on the quality of a single entity assist
in this process. Meditation can take various forms, including musical practice.
The recordings and detailed liner notes of The Ongaku Masters, An Anthology of Japanese
Classical Music, Vol. 1: Sacred Music (Celestial Harmonies, 2004) offer a comprehensive
overview of Japan’s sacred music, revealing some of the ways that Shinto and Buddhism
have been blended in Japan. The compilation includes gagaku (imperial court music),
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shomyo (Buddhist chant with origins in Hindu Vedic hymns), and shakuhachi honkyoku
(bamboo flute pieces performed for Zen meditation).
Gagaku refers to the musical ensemble that accompanies Shinto, Buddhist, and imperial
ceremonies. Korean and Chinese musicians brought the orchestra to Japan in the fifth century. The ensemble is made up of three types of instruments: fukimono (“blown things”—
such as flutes and mouth organs), hikimono (“played things”—such as floor zithers and
lutes), and uchimono (“struck things”—such as drums and gongs). The extensive gagaku
repertoire consists of pieces that may be performed with or without dance and works that
originate in Japan, China, and Korea. Gagaku: Gems from Foreign Lands (Celestial
Harmonies, 2002) and Gagaku: The Court Music of Japan (University of Oklahoma, 1989)
offer greater insight into this rich classical tradition. The former audio recording comes with
a booklet that provides an easy-to-understand outline of the art form, while the latter video
recording contains some fine uninterrupted performances of the varied gagaku repertoire in
combination with demonstrations of individual instruments. Particularly relevant to the
themes of this guide are the associations between gagaku and meditation, the way that musicians “breathe” together as a unit, and the performance of historical narratives.
Japanese Buddhist chants known as shomyo also vary widely because of their complex origins (they traveled from India to China to Japan), their performance by various Buddhist
sects, and their many functions (such as worship, invocation, meditation, and consecration).
The Ongaku Masters, An Anthology of Japanese Classical Music, Volume 1, contains several
examples of these recitations performed in Sanskrit (referred to as bonsan) and Chinese
(called kansan) with Japanese pronunciation. The liner notes provide translations of the
sutras (sacred texts) and hymns. Gongs and cymbals can also be heard in the recording.
Additionally, live recordings of Buddhist music incorporating these and other percussion
instruments (such as drums, bells, and wooden clappers) are available on Buddhist Drums,
Bell & Chants (Lyrichord, 1994). This CD also contains wasan, chants in Japanese.
Masters of the vertically held, end blown shakuhachi flute are distinguished by their ability
to produce an astonishing array of tones. Through shakuhachi honkyoku (“original pieces”),
musicians make otherwise imperceptible relationships between form and emptiness audible.
The significance of this concept to the tradition is clear in the title of the piece, Kyorei (“Empty
Spirit”), track number seven on disc number two of The Ongaku Masters, An Anthology of
Japanese Classical Music, Volume 1. It is also apparent in performance practice. Originally performed by Zen monks, shakuhachi honkyoku focus on particular pitches. Musicians employ
diverse breathing techniques with respect to these central notes to create a range of subtle
effects, timbres, and dynamics. In addition, the compositions emphasize periods of silence,
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known as ma, which contrast with the musical sounds. Excellent examples of shakuhachi
honkyoku also appear on Japan: Shakuhachi—The Japanese Flute (Nonesuch, 1977).
Though not exclusively sacred, the biwa (a pear-shaped lute related to the Chinese pipa
and the Persian oud), has been closely associated with the spiritual. One type of this instrument has been used in the gagaku ensemble since it arrived in Japan. From the eighth century, another biwa repertoire was performed for purification rites by blind priests. During
the thirteenth century, these traditions overlapped to produce a third genre—heikyoku
(recitation of The Tale of Heike). The ballads became one of Japan’s most significant musical and literary creations, setting the stage for future narrative performance genres.
The Heike tales, which recount the ascent and decline of the Heike clan, remained popular
through the fourteenth century because of their enduring themes: devotion, courage, elegance, and impermanence. A well-known episode of the tale, Ogi no Mato (“The Folding Fan
as Target”), is available on Japan: Traditional Vocal and Instrumental Music (Nonesuch, 1990)
and Mythical Tunes of the Biwa: Yoshiko Sakata (Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 2004).
The latter video also presents an excellent overview of the biwa and its music, placing it
within the context of history, religion, fine art, literature, and geography. It even brings viewers to Lake Biwa, the site of one Heike episode in which the protagonist plays the biwa for the
Japanese deity of the arts, causing her to emerge in the form of a white dragon. In addition,
Sakata performs her own version of the Japanese classic folk tale “The Crane Story.”
While the No theater (which combines literature, music, dance, and drama) is not religious per se, the aesthetics and messages it conveys reveal close associations with Shinto and
Buddhism. Developed in the fifteenth century as an elite entertainment, it originated as a
fusion of popular and religious art forms. A No play takes audiences out of ordinary time,
into worlds of the past and worlds of the spirits. A full-length production consists of a cycle
of sober, subtle dramas focusing on Shinto or Buddhist deities, ghosts of warriors of the
Heike and Genji clans, noble ladies, emotions, and demons. Three lively comic skits, known
as kyogen, balance the gravity of the production. No borrowed its instrumentation—the
high-pitched, nohkan flute and three drums (ko-tsuzumi, o-tsuzumi, and taiko)—from the
sarugaku and dengaku theaters, which were fashionable during the Heian era (794–1185). In
contrast, the singing of No grew out of the more serious, Buddhist shomyo chanting tradition. The sounds of this synthesis are available on Japanese Noh Music (Lyrichord, 1993).
Nature, a favorite theme of Japanese arts, bridges the secular and the sacred. On one
hand, artists and their patrons have identified parallels between human experience and
nature; on the other, they have perceived ambiguous connections among the human, natural, and divine worlds. In either case, an appreciation for perpetual motion is evident. The
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innumerable depictions of the four seasons that appear in Japan’s visual, literary, and performing arts illustrate this well (for instance, see “Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons”
page 38). This awareness of the fluidity of experience is further emphasized by the fact that
Japanese art forms often refer to other modes of expression (for example, another image
presented in this guide, “Boy and Mount Fuji,” page 22, incorporates music).
The seventeenth-century composition Shiki-no-Kyoku (“Song of the Four Seasons”),
track number one on Nanae Yoshimura: The Art of the Koto, Volume Two (Celestial
Harmonies, 2001), offers an excellent example of how Japanese musicians have layered their
impressions of transformation. It cycles listeners through four verses: one each for spring,
autumn, winter, and summer. Every stanza includes references to birds and flowers associated with the particular season, and it concludes by directing listeners to reflect upon a single, ecological symbol of that season. The emphasis on the passage of time is heightened
still more by immediately quoting at the opening of the piece the eleventh-century classic
The Tale of Genji. Sung to the accompaniment of the koto (thirteen-stringed zither), the
piece also illustrates the seasons through a variety of techniques used to play the instrument. Like the shakuhachi honkyoku described above, fine koto players create an almost infinite number of effects from a limited number of pitches.
The artists and audiences who gave direction to the vibrant secular music and performance scene of the Edo period (1615–1868) merged the worlds of aesthetics, literature, and
social life in extraordinary ways. These innovations ranged from setting new standards for
musical virtuosity to traversing the realms of dance, theater, puppetry, and literature to
entertain an urban clientele.
One of these artists was Kengyo Yatsuhashi (1614–1685), composer of the piece Shiki no
Kyoku, described above. He is known as the “Father of Solo Koto Music,” and his works from
the Edo period form the core of today’s koto repertoire. Among Yatsuhashi’s innovations were
new tunings and compositional styles for the instrument. In addition to Shiki no Kyoku, the
CD Nanae Yoshimura: The Art of the Koto, Volume Two (Celestial Harmonies, 2001) contains
Hachidan, an example of the danmono (“stepping pieces”) style, which Yatsuhashi invented.
Danmono begin with a simple theme that is repeated, elaborated upon, and sped up throughout the duration of the piece. The recording Midare: Kazue Sawai Plays Koto Classics (Kyoto
Records, 1995) includes interpretations of two of Yatsuhashi’s most famous works, Rokudan
and Midare, by two of Japan’s most renowned koto performers, Kazue and Tadao Sawai.
The cross-fertilization of the arts during the Edo period is perhaps most apparent in the
Kabuki and Bunraku theaters, where artists combined music, dance, drama, and literature to
delight audiences. In kabuki, human actors express the stories, while in Bunraku, puppets
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(ningyo) are the focus of the drama. Two types of plays form the central repertoire of Kabuki
and Bunraku: sewamono, which portray the emotional struggles of everyday life during the
Edo period, and jidaimono, pieces that dramatize political and historical events prior to the
Edo era. Many of the sewamono, such as many of the love suicides, are based upon true
events that underscore familiar conflicts between personal emotion and social obligation.
Musically speaking, both of these theaters utilized and expanded upon the instrumentation of the No theater described above. In particular, they made novel use of the shamisen,
a three-stringed lute that entered Japan from China and Okinawa in the sixteenth century.
One genre, nagauta, is lyrical. It is performed in kabuki, both as an accompaniment to
dance and to set the mood of the play. Another style, gidayu, is employed to narrate stories.
Chanter/vocalist Gidayu Takemoto (1651–1714) first invented it for the Bunraku theater, but
kabuki artists adopted it when they began to perform plays written for the puppet theater.
The video Kabuki (Films for the Humanities and Sciences) traces the links among music,
drama, literature, and visual art. (Kabuki literally means “song, dance, and theater.”) It takes
viewers behind the scenes to describe how musical sounds create a backdrop for the drama;
introduces some of the theater’s most famous plays; draws attention to costumes, visual art,
and color symbolism; and presents the role of the onnagata (male actor who embodies female
characters). The video Portrait of an Onnagata (Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 1992)
explores the latter dimension of kabuki still more, highlighting the significance of transformation, illusion, and ambiguity in Japanese art and culture.
In the Bunraku puppet theater, puppeteers, shamisen players, and chanter/vocalists (tayu)
work together to breathe life into delicately crafted and elaborately costumed dolls. The video
documentary Bunraku: Masters of Japanese Puppet Theater (Films for the Humanities and
Sciences) introduces viewers to this process by taking them into the worlds of two master
artists: puppeteer, Tamao Yoshida and chanter/vocalist, Sumitayu Takemoto. This focused,
personal perspective reveals the subtleties of traditional Japanese artistry, especially dedication, commitment, and perseverance. The video also offers special insight into classical
Japanese literature (with English subtitles), illustrating the class system of the Edo period
as well as the appeal of the Yoshiwara entertainment district—a place where people could
relax and escape from the constraints of that highly structured social arrangement.
H e a r i n g a n d S e e i n g M o r e i n J a pa n e s e M u s i c a n d P e r f o r m i n g A r t s
The tiers of sounds, sights, and movements presented in this brief introduction to Japan’s
musical and performing arts from the fifth through eighteenth century demonstrate an
ongoing enthusiasm for creativity and innovation by both artists and their patrons. Yet,
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simultaneously, references to and adaptations of subjects and aesthetic principles from previously existing art forms abound. As one looks at and listens more and more closely to any
of the related art forms of Japan, this ebb and flow between the traditional and the novel
becomes wonderfully apparent in increasingly intricate ways. While this condensed synopsis of Japan’s traditional music and performing arts cannot communicate all of these marvelous relationships, we do hope that it will inspire teachers and students to learn more
about these rich art forms, beginning with the Freer Gallery of Art’s collection of Japanese
art and the resources recommended here.
Resource List
A u d i o a n d Vi d e o R e c o r d i n g s
Buddhist Drums, Bell & Chants. 1994. Lyrichord Discs, Inc. #7200. (Available through
www.lyrichord.com)
Bunraku: Masters of Japanese Puppet Theater. Princeton, NJ: Films for the Humanities and
Sciences.
Eastwind: Japanese Shakuhachi Music, Masayuki Koga. 1988. Fortuna Records. (Available
through http://www.harmonies.com)
Ensemble Nipponia. 1990. Japan: Traditional Vocal and Instrumental Music. Nonesuch.
Catalog #72072. (Available through amazon.com)
Gagaku: The Court Music of Japan. 1989. University of Oklahoma, Early Music Television Series.
Gagaku: Gems from Foreign Lands, Tokyo Gakuso. 2002. Celestial Harmonies. Catalogue
#13217-2. (Available through http://www.harmonies.com)
Japan: Shakuhachi—The Japanese Flute. 1977. Nonesuch. Catalogue #72076. (Available
through www. amazon.com)
Japanese Noh Music. 1993. Lyrichord Discs, Inc. #7137. (Available through www.lyrichord.com)
Kabuki. Princeton, N.J.: Films for the Humanities and Sciences.
Midare: Kazue Sawai Plays Koto Classics. 1995. Kyoto Records. KYCH #2005. (Available
through kyo-rec@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp)
Mythical Tunes of the Biwa: Yoshiko Sakata. Princeton, N.J.: Films for the Humanities and
Sciences.
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Nanae Yoshimura: The Art of Koto, Volume Two. 2001. Celestial Harmonies. Catalogue #13187-2.
(Available through http://www.harmonies.com)
The Ongaku Masters: An Anthology of Japanese Classical Music. 2004. Celestial Harmonies.
Catalogue #19912. 4 CD boxed set. (Available through http://www.harmonies.com)
Portrait of an Onnagata. 1992. Princeton, N.J.; Films for the Humanities and Sciences.
Books
Adachi, Barbara C. Backstage at Bunraku: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Japan’s Traditional
Puppet Theatre. New York: Weatherhill, 1985.
Brandon, James. Kabuki: Five Classic Plays. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1992.
Brazell, Karen. Traditional Japanese Theater: An Anthology of Plays. New York: Columbia
University Press, 1998.
DeFerranti, Hugh. Japanese Musical Instruments. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
Goff, Janet Emily. Noh Drama and The Tale of Genji: The Art of Allusion in Fifteen Classical
Plays. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1991.
Keene, Donald. Noh and Bunraku: Two Forms of Japanese Theatre. New York: Columbia
University Press, 1990.
Kishibe, Shigeo. The Traditional Music of Japan. New York: The Japan Foundation, 1991.
Malm, William. Traditional Japanese Music and Musical Instruments. Tokyo: Kodansha
International, 2001.
We b s i t e s
International Shakuhachi Society http://www.komuso.com Contains a wealth of information about traditional Japanese music, performers, and recordings.
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Bibliography
Books and Magazines for Children
“Japan.” Faces (April 1990).
“Samurai.” Calliope (January/February 1993)
“Shinto.” Calliope (March 1998)
Kajikawa, Kimiko. Yoshi’s Feast. New York: Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc.
A lively and funny adaptation of the Japanese folktale “Smells and Jingles,” about two
neighbors who learn to cooperate after coming into conflict. Appropriate for ages 3–10.
Hoobler, Dorothy and Thomas. The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. New York: Puffin Books, 2001.
An engaging mystery set in Edo period Japan—full of cultural and historical information.
The first in a series. Appropriate for ages 9–14.
MacDonald, Fiona. Step into Ancient Japan. New York: Lorenz Books, 1999.
Books and Magazines for Adults
Akiyama, Terukazu. Japanese Painting. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.,
1977.
Barrett, Timothy. Japanese Papermaking: Traditions, Tools, and Techniques. New York:
Weatherhill, 1984.
Benskin, Elizabeth and Victoria Dawson. “The Conservation of a Japanese Painting.” Asian
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University Press, 1961.
Cort, Louise Allison. Shigaraki, Potters’ Valley. New York: Weatherhill, 2000.
de Bary, William Theodore, ed. Sources of Japanese Tradition, Volume I. New York: Columbia
University Press, 1964.
Forrer, Matthi. Hokusai: Prints and Drawings. Munich: Prestel-Verlag, 1991.
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Fu, Shen, et al. From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy.
Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1986.
Hall, John Whitney and Richard K. Beardsley. Twelve Doors to Japan. New York: McGraw
Hill, 1965.
Kamens, Edward. “The Past in the Present: Fujiwara Teika and the Traditions of Japanese
Poetry,” in Word in Flower. Edited by Carolyn Wheelwright. New Haven, Conn.: Yale
University Art Gallery, 1989
Kanada, Margaret Miller. Color Woodblock Printmaking: The Traditional Method of Ukiyo-e.
Tokyo: Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., 1989.
Kato, Shuichi. A History of Japanese Literature: The First Thousand Years. Tokyo: Kodansha
International, 1990.
Keene, Donald. No and Bunraku: Two Forms of Japanese Theater. New York: Columbia
University Press, 1990.
Kitagawa, Joseph M. Religion in Japanese History. New York: Columbia University Press, 1966.
Levy, Ian Hideo, trans. The Ten Thousand Leaves. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press,
1981.
Mason, Penelope. History of Japanese Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1993.
McCullough, Helen Craig, trans. Genji & Heike: Selections from the Tale of Genji and the Tale
of the Heike. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1994.
McCullough, Helen Craig, trans. Tales of Ise. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1968.
Murase, Miyeko. Bridge of Dreams: The Mary Griggs Burke Collection of Japanese Art. New
York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000.
Nelson, John K. A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine. Seattle and London: University of
Washington Press, 1996.
Pearson, Richard, et al. Ancient Japan. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1992.
Piggott, Julie. Japanese Mythology. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1982.
Putzer, Edward. Japanese Literature: A Historical Outline. Tucson: The University of Arizona
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Shikibu, Murasaki. The Tale of Genji, trans. Royall Tyler. New York: Penguin Books, 2001
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Stanley-Baker, Joan. Japanese Art. London: Thames and Hudson, Ltd, 1992.
Uhlenback, Chris and Merel Molenaar. Mount Fuji: Sacred Mountain of Japan. Leiden, the
Netherlands: Hotei Publishing, 2000.
Varley, Paul. Japanese Culture. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2000.
Vilhar, Gorazd and Charlotte Anderson. Matsuri: World of Japanese Festivals. Tokyo:
Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., 1994.
Watson, William, ed. The Great Japan Exhibition: Art of the Edo Period 1600–1868. London:
Royal Academy of the Arts, 1981.
Wilson, Richard L. Inside Japanese Ceramics: A Primer of Materials, Techniques, and
Traditions. New York: Weatherhill, 1995.
Wilson, Richard L. The Potter’s Brush: The Kenzan Style in Japanese Ceramics. Washington,
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National
Educational
Resources
Asia for Educators
East Asian Curriculum Project/Project on
Asia in the Core Curriculum
afe.easia.columbia.edu
Asia Society
Education Department
725 Park Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10021
Tel: (212) 327–9227
Fax: (212) 717–1234
www.asiasociety.org/education/
Asian Art Museum
Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and
Culture
Education Department
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, Calif. 94102
Tel: (415) 581–3663
Fax: (415) 581–4706
www.asianart.org
East Asia Resource Center
Jackson School of International Studies
University of Washington
Box 353650
Seattle, Wash. 98195–3650
Tel: (206) 543–1921
Fax: (206) 685–0668
earc@u.washington.edu
depts.washington.edu/earc
Five College Center for East Asian Studies
Smith College
69 Paradise Road
Northampton, Mass. 01063
Tel: (413) 585–3751
Fax: (413) 585–3748
www.smith.edu/fcceas
Freer Gallery of Art and
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Smithsonian Institution
P.O. Box 37012, MRC 707
Washington, D.C. 20013–7012
Tel: (202) 633–4880
Fax: (202) 357–4911
fsgeducation@asia.si.edu
www.asia.si.edu
N AT I O N A L E D U C AT I O N R E S O U R C E S
107
Japan Information and Culture Center
Embassy of Japan, Washington, D.C.
Lafayette Center III
1155 21st Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036–3308
Tel: (202) 238–6949
Fax: (202) 822–6524
jicc@embjapan.org
www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/
National Clearinghouse for
U.S.-Japan Studies
Indiana University
Memorial West #207
1021 East Third Street
Bloomington, Ind. 47405–7005
Tel: (800) 441–3272 or (812) 855–3765
japan@indiana.edu
www.indiana.edu/~japan
Japan Society
333 East 47th Street
New York, N.Y. 10017
Tel: (212) 832–1155
www.japansociety.org
Wyckoff Teacher Resource Center
Seattle Asian Art Museum
1400 East Prospect Street
Volunteer Park
National Association of Japan–America
Societies
733 Fifteenth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 783–4550
Fax: (202) 783–4551
contact@us-japan.org
www.us-japan.org
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T H E A RTS O F JA PA N
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 22000
Seattle, WA 98122–9700
Tel: (206) 654–3186
trc@seattleartmuseum.org
www.seattleartmuseum.org/trc